The definitive source for information on collecting screen-used Star Trek props and costumes

Star Trek Props.com The Internet's premier source for information on collecting Star Trek props and costumes, as well as coverage of all major Star Trek auctions from the famous 2006 Christie's Star Trek auction, through the It's A Wrap Star Trek auctions on eBay and the Propworx Star Trek auctions. Star Trek Props is the best source for information of collecting original, screen-used props & costumes.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

TOS Phaser in Propworx Auction

An exceptionally rare screen-used fiberglass Phaser pistol from Star
Trek: The Original Series, and one of only two such examples that is
known to have survived from the ’60s. This incredible piece of
television history has been exhaustively researched and precisely screen
matched to the mid-grade phaser prop featured in an opening scene in
the 2nd season TOS episode “Assignment: Earth”, where it is seen in a
close-up view on-screen in the hand of a security officer in the
Transporter Room. Most significantly, it is the presence of both a
uniquely contoured scratch line and a small blemish formed by excess
paint – both on the front face of the pistol body – as well as perfectly
matching orientations of the attached silver nozzle ring and the
right-angled metal plate on top that have enabled this particular prop
to be positively identified on-screen in that memorable time-travel
episode, which originally was broadcast on Mar. 29, 1968.

Furthermore, it is extremely likely that this historic hand prop, as
part of the Desilu inventory, was utilized in the filming of several other TOS episodes during the 2nd and 3rd seasons of the series, in addition to “Assignment: Earth”. Some other keys aspects in the authentication of this phaser include, very importantly, a match of the uniquely patterned silver foil material on top of its hand phaser to the
foil on the Greg Jein TOS Hero Phaser pistol, and the identification of a tiny mold flaw / accent line defect in its rear body fin appearance which is a perfect match to a mold flaw observed on a different phaser seen in a close-up screen capture from the Original Series episode “Spock’s Brain”. Additionally, high resolution photography of the Velcro on the hand phaser has revealed some gold, blue and red TOS velour Starfleet tunic fabric traces still trapped in the Velcro – exciting remnants from production on the Desilu soundstage 49 years ago!

While this hand prop features some paint wear, surface scratches and some seam separation and missing knobs/accent pieces that is typical of rare screen used TOS memorabilia; it is undeniably a visually exciting, sturdily-constructed and highly presentable piece of Star Trek history.

A truly iconic and highly desirable addition to the finest of Star Trek and Hollywood memorabilia collections.